Apparatus for applying a getter material



y 1966 J. .1. MASON 3,253,575

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A GETTER MATERIAL Filed May 15, 1961 5Sheets-Sheet 1 GETI'ER M ATER\ A L.

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APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A GETTER MATERIAL Filed May 15, 1961 5 Sheets-Shet 5 FEG. 8.

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United States V Patent 3,253,575 APFARATUS FQR APPLYING A GE'I'IERMATERIAL Juiien J. Mason, West Caldwell, NJ, assignor to WestinghouseElectric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa, a cor-- poration ofPennsylvania Filed May 15, 1961, Ser. No. 114L922 3 Saints. (Cl.118-241) The present invention relates to the manufacture ofincandescent lamps and discharge devices and, more particularly, to animproved apparatus for applying a getter material to the parts of amount for such lamps and devices.

Heretofore a chemical clean-up agent or getter material has been appliedto selected portions of the lead wires of a lamp mount by apparatus ofthe type shown in US. Patent No. 2,636,472, issued April 28, 1953, to P.Vargo et al. This conventional apparatus is complicated in structure,has many moving parts and is ditiicult and expensive to maintain inproper operating condition. In addition, during the dipping of the metalfingers into the spoon and during the transfer of the dipped fingers adsjacent the lead wires, getter material (similar to the type disclosed inUS. Patent No. 2,449,786, issued September 21, 1948, to G. H. Lockwoodet al.) splatters over the filament mount machine which is of the typeshown in US. Patent No. 1,733,881, issued October 29, 1929, to G.Illingsworth. As a result the dried zirconium metal (a pyrophoricmaterial) in the getter material on the mount machine presents a firehazard. Further, prior to its evaporation the amyl acetate in the gettermaterial presents an irritating vapor for inhalation thereof by theoperators.

When an increased quantity of the above-mentioned patented gettermaterial is applied to the lead wires of a mount for a silica coatedincandescent lamp (of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,922,065,issued January 19, 1960, to G. Meister et al.) to prevent a Water cyclein such lamps, the above-described splattering and dripping is amplifiedby the increased load of getter material which the conventionalapparatus must then pick up, transfer and apply. Further, evaporation ofthe vehicle or liquid binder utilized in the getter material suspensionfrom the open getter cup of the conventional apparatus presents thedifificult problem of viscosity control of the getter materialsuspension in such cup.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcomethe foregoing, and other difficulties of and objections to prior artpractices, by the provision of an apparatus for applying getter materialto a selected portion of an electrode mount for an incandescent lamp ora discharge device, which apparatus is simple in structure, has fewmoving parts and is easy and economical to maintain.

Another object of the present invention is an improved apparatus forapplying getter material to selected portions of an electrode mount,which apparatus substantially eliminates splattering and dripping of thegetter material on the associated apparatus and prevents the evaporationof the vehicle in the getter material from its container.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of animproved apparatus for applying getter material, which apparatussubstantially eliminates the creation of pyrophoric residues on theadjacent areas and prevents the liberation of vapors which areirritating to the operators.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of animproved apparatus for applying a getter material, which apparatuscontrols the size of the aperture or apertures through which the gettermaterial flows and provides a pressure head behind the getter materialto insure proper flow of the getter material through such aperture orapertures.

Patented May 31, 1966 The improved apparatus of the present inventionfor applying a getter material to a selected portion of an electrodemount comprises containing means for containing the getter material andfor preventing evaporation of the binder in the getter material, porousresilient dauber means disposed in one end of the containing means andadapted to be saturated by the getter material, and drive meansoperatively associated with the containing means and the electrode mountfor causing relative movement therebetween so that the selected portionengages the saturated dauber means and is coated thereby.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should behad to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of referenceindicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view, partially in section, of the improvedapparatus for applying a getter material to the lead wires of a lampmount at a getter applying station of a conventional filament mountingmachine;

FIG. 2 is a vertical-sectional view along the line IIII of FIG. 1 in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a side-elevational view of a completed lamp mount;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical-sectional View similar to aview along the line IVlV of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows butshowing the getter applying means and lead wire back-up means in thegetter applying position;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal-sectional view along the line VV of FIG. 4 in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the applicators ofthe getter material;

FIG. 7 is a vertical-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of theapplicator;

FIG. 8 is a vertical-sectional view along the line VIII VIII of FIG. 7in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a vertical-sectional view along the line IX,

IX of FIG. 7 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 10 is a vertical-sectional view along the line X X of FIG. 7 in thedirection of the arrows.

Although the apparatus of the present invention is broadly applicable tothe manufacture of incandescent lamps and discharge devices, the presentinvention is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with themanufacture of incandescent lamps and hence it has been so illustratedand will be so described.

With specific reference to the form of the present invention, andreferring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a. frame of a conventionalfilament mounting machine (of the type shown in the above-mentioned US.Patent No. 1,733,881) is indicated generally by the referencenumeralZtl.

As shown in FIGS. '1 and 2, an electrode mount, such as a lamp mount 22(FIGS. 1-5), is carried by a mount holder 24 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of thefilament mounting machine and has completed its index into the getterapplying station of such filament mounting machine. In order to providelead wire back-up mean for preventing deformation of the selectedportions of lead wires 26 (FIGS. 1-5) and 28 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5) duringthe getter applying operation,.a back-up plate 30 (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5) ismounted on a bar 32 (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5) in registry with such selectedportions of the lead wires 26 and 28. The bar 32, in turn, is mounted inbearings 34 (FIG. 1) and is secured therein in the desired adjustedposition by screws 36 (FIG. 1), the bearings 34 being mounted on abracket 38 (FIG. 1) carried by a slide 40 (FIG. 1), which slide 49 isreciprocable in a bracket 42 (FIG. 1) upstanding from the frame 20. Thedrive means for the slide 40 comprises (as shown in FIG. 1), a link 44,a bell crank lever 46 and a connecting rod 48, which rod 48 is driven bya conventional lever and cam means (not shown). A getterapplying meansof the present invention shown in the left-hand portion of FIG. 1 andalso shown in FIG. 2 is disposed in registry with the selected portionsof the lead wires 26 and 28 and also with the back-up plate 30'.

Getter applying means This getter applying means has a pair of getterapplicators 50 (FIGS. 1-2 and 4-6) with each applicator 50 beingremovably mounted by means of spring clips 52 (FIGS. 12 and 4-5) on abracket 38 carried by a.

slide 40'. This slide 40' (like the slide 40) is similarly driven by alink 44', bell crank lever 46, connecting rod 48' etc. in the samemanner as the slide 40 to cause relative movement between the filamentmount 22 and the getter applying means.

Eachof these getter applicators 50 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4-6) has a containingmeans, such as a generally tubular container 54 (FIGS. 1 and 4-6),having a removable closure means, such as a stopper 56 (FIG. 1) in oneend to contain the getter suspension or material 58 (FIGS. 4 and and topermit facile cleaning of such container 54. Each container 54 also hasa flattened generally elliptical end 60 (FIGS. 1 and 46) adapted .toreceive a dauber means, such as a resilient porous getter applicator pador dauber 62 (FIGS. 2 and 4-6). Each dauber 62 is adapted to besaturated by the getter material 58. To provide stop means in eachcontainer 54 for the dauber 62, three rivets 64 (FIGS. 1 and 4-6) extendthrough the rearward portions of the flattened end 60. Retaining meansfor each dauber 62, such as the L-shaped brackets 66 (FIGS. 1 and 4-6),are mounted on the flattened end 60 to retain the dauber 62 within suchflattened end 60 and are biased slightly against the rivets 64. In orderto provide a clearance aperture for support wires 68 (FIGS. 1 and 35) ofthe filament mount 22, the brackets 66 are horizontally slotted at 70.So that the lead wires 26 and 28 may be received in and engaged by thedaubers 62, the flattened end 60 of each container 54 is provided withvertically aligned receiving slots '72 (FIGS. 4-6).

The getter material 58 has metallic particles suspended in a liquidbinder. The proportions of the ingredients in the getter material 58which have been found suitable for the purpose are approximately asfollows:

Zirconium metal powder (325 mesh; 44 micron max.

O.D.) grams 54 Aluminum metal powder (400 mesh; 32 micron max.

O.D.) grams l2 Nitrocellulose lacquer (a solution of nitrocellulose inamyl acetate) cc 94 Cellosolve acetate cc 46 Cellosolve is a trade namefor ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, manufactured by Carbide and CarbonChemical Co., a division of Union Carbide and Carbon Corp, New York,N.Y. This Cellosolve acetate has a slower rate of evaporation than theamyl acetate thereby retarding drying of the getter material on thedaubers 62.

The means utilized to agitate the getter material 58 Within eachcontainer 54 and thus prevent settling out of the suspended metalparticles, comprises spherical balls 74 (FIGS. 4 and 5) which balls.74roll back and forth in the getter material 58 during the reciprocatingmovement of each getter applicator 50 between the retracted position(FIG. 1) and the getter applying position (FIGS. 4 and 5).

In order to prevent the filtering out of the zirconium and aluminummetal particles by the dauber 62 and to prevent the daubers 62 frombecoming clogged with metal particles, the apertures 75 (FIGS. 46)extending through Each dauber 62 is formed of a sponge-like materialsimilar to the polyurethane of the type designed Nopco foam type R bythe Nopco Chemical Co., Plastics Division, North Arlington, New Jersey.

After the filament mount 22 indexes into the getter applying station,the back-up plate 30 and getter applicators 50 are simultaneously movedfrom the positions show-n in FIG. 1 toward the lead wires 26 and 28(through a distance d and d respectively) to the position shown in FIGS.4 and 5 where the support wires 68 have entered the clearance slots 76'and the selected portions of the lead wires 26 and 28 have been receivedin the resilient dauber 62 and in the receiving slots 72, thus applyinga coating of getter material 58 to such selected portions of the leadwires 26 and 28. Thereafter the getter applicators 50 and back-up plate30 are retracted to the position shown in FIG. 1 and the nowgetteredfilament mount 22 is indexed out of the getter applying station.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art (from the abovedescription of the improved apparatus) that an improved method is alsoprovided, which improved method comprises the steps of containing thegetter material 58 to prevent evaporation of the binder in the gettermaterial 58, saturating the resilient porous daubers 62 with thecontained getter material 58, and causing relative move? ment betweenthe selected portions of the lead wires-26 and 28 and the saturatedporous daubers 62 to cause such selected portions to engage the daubers.62 thus applying the getter material 58 to the selected portions. Thisimproved method is carried out either by hand or the abovedescribedapparatus or other apparatus.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, in order to further minimize thedanger of clogging a dauber 62a; to insure a continuing supply of gettermaterial 58 to the dauber 62a; and to provide a head pressure behindeach such dauber 62a; a tubular container 54a is provided with areservoir means, such as the reservoir portion 78. In addition, controlmeans are provided within the tubular container 54a for compressing thedauber 62a against a cap 80 (FIGS. 7 and 8) as required to slightlyclose apertures 75a in the dauber 62a (if such apertures 75a areoversized) and thus prevent the getter material 58 from dripping out ofthe dauber 62a. This control means has a perforated disc 82 (FIGS. 7, 8and 10) having apertures 84' therein (FIGS. 7 and 10) and connected by apiston rod 84 to a sealing disc 86 (provided with an O- ring 88, FIGS. 7and 8). As a portion of the drive means for the piston 84 and the discs82 and 86 a threaded end 90 of the rod 84 projects from the disc 86 andis threadable in a sleeve 92. This sleeve 92 (FIGS, 7-9) is rotatable inthe tubular container 54a and is retained therein against longitudinalmovement with respect to the tubular container 54a by a slottedretaining collar 94. The retaining collar 94 (FIGS. 7-9) is insertedinto a slot 96 (FIG. 9) in the tubular container 54a and engages anannular groove 98 (FIGS. 7-9) in the sleeve 92 to retain the latter'inthe desired fixed position with respect to the tubular container 54a.Removal of the retaining collar 94 from the slot 96 and the groove 98permits removal of the above-described control means for purposes ofcleaning the tubular container 54a and for the replacement of the dauber62a. To facilitate rotation of the sleeve 92 and the reciprocablemovement of the perforated disc 82 to compress or to release the dauber62a, the sleeve 92 is provided with-a knurled portion 100.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the objects ofthe present invention have been achieved by the provision of an improvedapparatus for applying getter material to selected parts of an electrodemount.

This improved apparatus is simple in structure, has few dues thereon.Further, such improved apparatus prevents the evaporation of the vehicleor binder in the getter material thus preventing liberation ofirritating vapors therefrom, which vapors are deleterious to theoperators.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention has been illustrated and described in detail, itis to be particularly understood that the invention is not limitedthereto or thereby.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying a getter material to a selected portion of anelectrode mount, said getter material having metallic particlessuspended in a liquid binder, said apparatus comprising containing meansfor containing the getter material and for preventing evaporation ofsaid binder, said containing means being provided at one end with aremovable closure means to provide access to the interior of saidcontaining means, reservoir means connected to said containing means forsupplying getter material thereto, for further preventing clogging ofsaid dauber means and for providing a pressure head for the gettermaterial in said containing means, agitating means Within saidcontaining means for preventing settling out of said metallic particlesfrom the binder in said suspension, porous resilient dauber meansdisposed in the other end of said containing means and adapted to besaturated by said getter material, said dauber means being provided withopenings therethrough which are larger than themaximum particle size ofsaid metallic particles to prevent clogging of said dauber means,control means disposed adjacent said dauber means for controlling thesize of said openings and the rate of the flow of said getter materialthrough said openings, stop means extending through said containingmeans for positioning said dauber means in said containing means,retaining means on said containing means for retaining said dauber meansin said containing means, said containing means and said retaining meansbeing provided with clearance means for receiving said electrode mountand for permitting said selected portion which is to be coated to engagethe saturated dauber means, back-up means for supporting said selectedportion during the getter applying operation, and drive meansoperatively associated with said containing'means and said electrodemount for causing relative movement therebetween so that said selectedportion engages the saturated dauber means and is coated thereby.

2. Apparatus for applying a getter material to a selected portion of anelectrode mount, said getter material having metallic particlessuspended in a liquid binder, said apparatus comprising:

(a) containing means for containing said getter material and forpreventing evaporation of said binder, said containing means having anopen end;

(b) resilient dauber means disposed in said open end of said containingmeans and in contact with said getter material therein, said daubermeans adapted to be saturated by said getter material and havingprovided therethrough pores of sufficient size to pass said metallicparticles of said getter material;

(c) drive means operatively associated with said con taining means andsaid electrode mount to move said saturated dauber means into contactwith said selected portion of said electrode mount to coat said gettermaterial onto said selected portion of said electrode mount; and

(d) back-up means controlled by said drive means and being moved intocontacting relationship with said selected portion of said electrodemount to hold same in position during contact by said dauber means.

3. The apparatus as specified in claim 2, wherein said open end or" saidcontainer means is partially closed to partially cover said dauber meansand inhibit flow of said getter material therethrou-gh.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 167,473 9/1-875'Rodden 15-510 X 1,989,800 2/1935 Gustin 117-231 X 2,398,888 4/1946 Ford"118-264 X 2,525,997 10/ 1950 Beier 118-220 2,577,132 12/1951 Kivley118-220 2,747,543 5/1956 Navikas -s 118-264 X 2,947,015 8/1960 Burt15-541 2,949,3 88 8/1960 Fluornoy et al 117-212 2,964,770 12/1960 Lerneret al. 15-541 2,998,332 8/1961 Osdal 117-212 3,055,328 9/1962 Gothe etal. 1 18-264 X 3,056,998 10/1962 Ebner 15-512 FOREIGN PATENTS 583,99510/1958 Italy.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. R. D. MARTIN, RICHARD D. NEVIUS,Examiners.

V. E. SULLIVAN, CHARLES A. HAASE, LEON G.

MACHLIN, Assistant Examiners.

1. APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A GETTER MATERIAL TO A SEJECTED PORTION OF ANELECTRODE MOUNT, SAID GREATER MATERIAL HAVING A METALLIC PARTICLESSUSPENDED IN A LIQUID BINDER, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING CONTAINING MEANSFOR CONTAINING THE GETTER MATERIAL AND FOR PREVENTING EVAPORATION OFSAID BINDER, SAID CONTAINING MEANS BEING PROVIDED AT ONE END WITH AREMOVABLE CLOSURE MEANS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAIDCONTAINING MEANS, RESERVOIR MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CONTAINING MEANS FORSUPPLYING GETTER MATERIAL THERETO, FOR FURTHER PREVENTING CLOGGING OFSAID DAUBER MEANS AND FOR PROVIDING A PRESSURE HEAD FOR THE GETTERMATERIAL IN SAID CONTAINING MEANS, AGITATING MEANS WITHIN SAIDCONTAINING MEANS FOR PREVENTING SETTLING OUT OF SAID METALLIC PARTCLESFROM THE BINDER IN SAID SUSPENSION, POROUS RESILIENT DAUBER MEANSDISPOSED IN THE OTHER END OF SAID CONTAINING MEANS AND ADAPTED TO BESATURATED BY SAID GETTER MATERIAL, SAID DAUBER MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITHOPENINGS THERETHROUGH WHICH ARE LARGER THAN THE MAXIMUM PARTICLE SIZE OFSAID METALLIC PARTICLES TO PREVENT CLOGGING OF SAID DAUBER MEANS,CONTROL MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID DAUBER MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THESIZE OF SAID OPENINGS AND THE RATE OF THE FLOW OF SAID GETTER MATERIALTHROUGH SAID OPENINGS, STOP MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CONTAININGMEANS FOR POSITIONING SAID DAUBER MEANS IN SAID CONTAINING MEANS,RETAINING MEANS ON SAID CONTAINING MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID DAUBER MEANSIN SAID CONTAINING MEANS, SAID CONTAINING MEANS AND SAID RETAINING MEANSBEING PROVIDED WITH CLEARANCE MEANS FOR RECEIVING SAID ELECTRODE MOUNTAND FOR PERMITTING SAID SELECTED PORTION WHICH IS TO BE COATED TO ENGAGETHE SATURATED DAUBER MEANS, BACK-UP MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID SELECTEDPORTION DURING THE GETTER APPLYING OPERATION, AND DRIVE MEANSOPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CONTAINING MEANS AND SAID ELECTRODEMOUNT FOR CAUSING RELATIVE MOVEMENT THE SATURATED DAUBER MEANS AND ISCOATED THEREBY.